Dedication of the Class of 1982 Engineering and Computer Science Center

What a thrill to be standing in this incredible new space at such a celebratory time in the history of our institution. 

This is so much more than a building. It's a symbol of how we make our mark on the world – through the pathbreaking research that happens on our campus and through the development of leaders equipped with the skills and desire to make the world a better place.

Today, the possibilities for research, scholarship and leadership at Dartmouth are exponentially greater because of the generosity and vision of our community in bringing the Class of '82 Engineering and Computer Science Center – and the entirety of the West End – to fruition.

We have been thoughtful and deliberate in bringing engineering, computer science and entrepreneurship together with the liberal arts in this cutting-edge facility.  It is a place without boundaries – poised to ignite innovation and spur collaboration across disciplines and schools and academic generations like never before.

It captures the strength of our faculty, the passions of our students and the expertise of our alumni – and does so at a scale that enables innovation to thrive.

I am so proud of what we've accomplished together and, for that, we have a long list of people to thank, starting with our architects: Samir Srouji, Nico Piek, and Matt Ellsworth of Wilson HGA, who did an extraordinary job in bringing our vision to life.

I also want to thank:

• Mike Crowl of Turner Construction for skillfully managing the project and keeping it on time and on budget;
• Eric Fontaine and Craig Boman of Van Zelm Engineers, who were completely up to the task of engineering a building for a group of mighty discerning engineers;
• And Matt Girard of Michael Van Valkenburg Landscape Architects, who extended the building's beauty to the outdoors.

And to Ken Merrow and Joe Broemel, Senior Project Manager at Dartmouth, who is now enjoying a well-deserved retirement, what can I say?! Your efforts were nothing short of heroic. Not even 10 feet short!

And we certainly wouldn't be here today without all of the volunteers and donors who generously came forward to help to us raise $191 million as of this morning to stand up this Center.  

More than 113 donors came together to make this building a reality. I especially want to acknowledge the leadership and generosity of the great Dartmouth Class of 1982, Jeanne and Tony Pritzker, Barry MacLean, Errik and Emily Anderson, Lisa and Scott Stuart, and Angeli Parvi…..and, of course, Allison and Rick Magnuson and the Dartmouth Founders Circle members, whose generosity added another dynamic dimension to this building by bringing the entrepreneurial spirit into the mix.

Finally, I want to recognize all of the distinguished faculty and academic leaders – especially those at Thayer, in Computer Science, and at the Magnuson Center – who have been driving innovation in their respective fields and exemplify the visionary, interdisciplinary collaboration that will happen here. 

And even though he's since moved on to lead his alma mater, I couldn't let this moment pass without recognizing Joe Helble, former Dean of Thayer and Provost, who first proposed the expansion of the engineering faculty that gave rise to the vision we realize today. 

We aren't just standing at the threshold of a new building. We are standing at the precipice of a revolution in how we think, teach, learn and lead. And I couldn't be more excited about the outstanding new opportunities that lie ahead for our students, both in this building and in the world beyond. 

Here now to share her perspective on those opportunities is proud member of the Class of '22, Aadhya Kocha, who is pursuing a double major in engineering and engineering science modified with computer science, with a minor in human centered design. 

[AADHYA KOCHA SPEAKS, FOLLOWED BY OTHER CAMPUS LEADERS CULMINATING WITH ERIC FOSSUM, BEFORE PRESIDENT HANLON RE-TAKES THE STAGE]

Thanks, Eric and thank you to all of you for sharing just how catalyzing this Center will be to your work and to the aspirations we share for Dartmouth. 

Every President needs a close partner when moving forward with an idea of this magnitude. For me, that partner was Greg Maffei, proud member of the great Dartmouth Class of 1982 and a fellow Dartmouth Trustee. 

Greg has been a tireless force in mobilizing support for the project since its inception. In fact, just last week we announced that the incredible Class of 1982 – under his leadership and with others like Terry Maguire, Emily Bakemeier and Tony Pritzker – raised more than $50 million from their classmates toward this initiative.  

Greg, thank you for honoring our campus in this forward-looking way. Your leadership has been an inspiration to me, to your class, and to your fellow Trustees, and I welcome you to come up and share a few words.

[GREG MAFFEI SPEAKS AND FORMALLY ACCEPTS THE BUILDING WITH PRESIDENT HANLON BEFORE THE EVENT CONCLUDES]